


Placeholder Title

by kazapreads



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Seven Year Gap (Dragon Ball)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:48:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27571036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kazapreads/pseuds/kazapreads
Summary: 5 times Krillin and 18 kissed, and one time they almost did.  Sorry for the crappy title!
Relationships: Android 18/Krillin (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3
Collections: Krillin x Android 18





	1. 5+1(1)

Shamelessly inspired by this [KoineKid fanfic.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16377698)

18 rested crosslegged on the hot sand, her eyes closed.

She focused her thoughts on absolutely nothing, and then probed in the darkness for the faint ki of Master Roshi's tree.

There was nothing. Again.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud splash, and a louder energy drowning out the tree's non-existent imprint.

"Hey 18! How'd it go?" Krillin shook off, not unlike a wet dog, and walked a little closer to her. "Were you able to pick up on The Tree yet?"

18 shook her head, then looked up while shading her eyes.

"Oh, right! Let me suppress my own energy..."

"Wait, Krillin. I-" 18 started to speak, the words caught in her throat, her face becoming slightly warmer.

He leaned closer, his water-dropped chest reflecting some of the sunlight.

“Um, I..” _Never had someone care for me like this._

The words choked in her throat. 

“I -“ _love you._

Krillin leaned closer, his dark eyes glimmering with the faintest concern. 

“Are you alright, 18?You look a little flushed.”

“No. I mean, yesyes I’m fine!”

Shaking his head slightly,Krillin reached out and grabbed - _caressed_ \- her wrist. 

“Let’s go under the Tree - it’s not good to be under the sun for so long.” 

She carefully stood up, and then followed him towards the palm.

“On second thought, let’s go inside.There’s some ice in the basement, and it’ll be cooler in the kitchen.” 

—

Inside, Krillin busied himself preparing dinner. 

“So what were you going to say to me?” he asked casually, running the vegetables under the faucet.

18 nearly spat out her water.

“Uh, I…”

Her aloof facade was swiftly crumbling, all from this little man. 

“…I forgot.”

Krillin shrugged.

“Very well.”

_I’ll tell you.One day._

_\-- --_

\--- ---   
The receding tide lapped at Krillin’s feet, the starry night sky wheeling overhead.

“Hey, Krillin?”

“What’s up, 18?”

  
The android carefully sat down on the damp sand, her sneakers crossed beneath her. 

  
“Remember this morning, when you were showing me how to control my ki?”

The monk nodded, his hands running through the sand. “What about it?”

  
“Well later on I practiced more, and I was able to - I did - here, let me just show you.”

  
18 closed her eyes and unfurled her palm in front of her, focusing her energy into tiny points and releasing them into the air. On the edges of her senses, she could hear Krillin gasp lightly. 

  
She opened her eyes. 

  
Several dozen orbs floated around her, illuminating the darkened beach around them, casting a warm glow on the cool sand. 

  
“They’re beautiful,” breathed Krillin, his palm reaching near one of the glowing spheres. 

“You’re beautiful.”

  
It was dark, so no one could tell that 18 was blushing. Dissipating a few of the orbs, she leaned closer and whispered into his ear.

  
“Say it again?”

  
Krillin turned his head slightly, his lips closer to hers. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, tucking away a strand of hair, and then leaned closer. 

  
18 could feel him smiling against her lips, beneath the stars, beneath the warm ocean breeze blowing in. 

_You beat me to it._


	2. (5+1)(2)

Krillin had flown across galaxies, fought beings of untold power, and died several times.Pain was nothing new to him. 

Was he getting soft?

Stretching his feet out of the soft hotel bed, he thought again about getting up.Then his feet emerged from the warm blankets and were bathed in freezing air. 

_I had to fight with celestial beings… why am I afraid of the cold?Maybe all that time at the tropical Kame House…_

Said feet withdrew back into their warm cocoon. 

“Well?When are you going to get up?It was your idea to take a vacation here, remember?”

Krillin opened his eyes and saw 18’s waistband. 

_..?_

He closed them again.

“I’ll get up in 5 minutes, k babe?”

“You said that 5 minutes ago.”

He sighed.She had a point - he was the one who chose to vacation in the snowy North, and now he was stalling and regretting it.Or maybe…?

“I’ll get up in 15 minutes if you come back to bed with me.” 

Opening his eyes, he directed his gaze up.“How does that sound?”

There was a moment’s pause.

“You promise?” 

Krillin smiled.“I promise.”

18 sighed, an exhalation not of exasperation, but of defeat.“Very well.” 

She carefully slid back underneath the blankets, feeling the inviting warmth of the bed and Krillin’s arms wrapping around her back.

“I could stay here forever, you know.”

“15 minutes, remember?”

“Mmm…”

Wrapping his arms over the fabric of her tshirt, Krillin pulled her closer, feeling her thunderbolt necklace press against his own chest. 

— One hour later…

18’s eyes fluttered open.By now the clear winter sun streamed in through the windows, the last of the clouds burning off. 

But her boyfriend had a point - it was still so cold.Everything seemed ok, safe and warm in this cocoon of sheets. 

She felt his lips graze her cheek, his arms pulling her ever closer.

“Staying here with you is a vacation enough,” Krillin smiled. 

18 kissed him gently.

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the short chapters... it's been hard staying inspired. Thanks for reading!


	3. Bad Day

Krillin flopped face down onto the pillow, letting out a long, frustrated sigh. 

“Today…” he began, pressing his mouth deeper into the pillow and not even bothering to check if the door was closed. 

“SUCKED!!” he screamed, rolling back and forth on the bed while pressing the pillow deeper onto his face. 

There was silence, aside from the sound of a blow dryer running from inside the adjacent bathroom.

_Blow… dryer..?_

The possibility of Master Roshi growing out his hair aside, this could only mean one thing.Before he could speak, 18’s muffled voice spoke from behind the door. 

“Today sucked, you said?”

Krillin let the now useless pillow slide onto the floor. 

“Yes, it really did.”He doubted 18 wanted to hear about his troubles, but Krillin rambled on anyways.He described the grocery bag ripping open while on his flight home, soaking the fresh loaf of bread he just bought, losing his focus while training on one of the islands and dropping a huge rock on his toe, the retarded driver nearly running him over while on the crosswalk (not that it would have hurt him much, but still), his phone nearly getting crushed by an incoming bullet train, and this, and that, and..

The sound of a hair brush being set down from behind a door interrupted his little pity-party. 

“Well, that sounds terrible.Almost as bad as having most of your insides ripped out and being replaced with machine parts!”

Krillin blanched at the statement, um-ing and ah-ing his way towards an apology.Before he could actually get to saying sorry, 18’s door-reduced voice interrupted him.

“My day was fine enough, hon.Now I think I have something to help fix yours.” 

Curiosity replacing his previous fear, the ex-monk propped himself up on his elbows and watched the door. 

“What would that be?The suspense is killing m-“

The door to the attached bathroom swung open, silencing Krillin immediately.

A stray drop of water trickled down 18’s face, tracing its course down her lips, and her neck, and towards her unclothed curves.

His mouth opened and closed, his eyes seeming glued to her as he struggled to think of something.With a herculean effort, he finally turned away.

“Uh… you’re n-not wearing any clothes.” 

“It’s okay to look, y’know,” replied 18 as her feet padded over the bedroom carpet.“And that took you long enough to figure out,” she teased as Krillin looked her not in the eyes.

“Is your day better yet?” 

Unable to speak, Krillin nodded. 

Quickly leaning down, 18 pressed her shower-warmed lips against his, relishing their smoothness.But when his hands wandered to her waist, she quickly got up. 

“Why don’t I get dressed and help you put away the groceries, and then you can touch?”

“Aww, don’t be a tease.” 

“That ice cream is melting already, isn’t it?” 

———

(What 18 was doing)

Krillin’s muffled voice listed all the terrible things that happened to him that day as 18 carefully brushed out her hair.She winced slightly when he got to the part when the boulder fell on him - that must’ve hurt! 

She set down the brush on the counter, and his verbal waterfall suddenly stopped. 

_He must’ve been surprised._

As she checked herself out in the mirror, one of old man Roshi’s dirty films suddenly popped into her mind.Before he changed to a game show, she had accidentally seen the film focusing on water coursing over some bather’s body. 

The seed of an idea was planted in her mind.

Wetting her fingers under the faucet, 18 absentmindedly said something sarcastic.It came naturally to her.While her boyfriend splutteredd anxiously, 18 tried dabbing a drop of water on her forehead, watching it slide smoothly over her body.She experimented with different placements, watching the water trace different paths. 

For a moment, the sheer idiocy of this popped into her mind.Krillin would blurble like a fish if he just saw her naked - why go through this extra work? 

_I must really love him._

Running the sink one last time, 18 reassured him that no harm was meant, and then opened the door.Krillin froze, his eyes slowly shifting downwards, following the water on its sexy path.

18 smiled slightly. 

_Worth it._


	4. Angry Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: angry kiss & slight possessive fiance

The surf rushed across the sandy beach, the sunlight glittering like diamonds on the bubbling surface. 

Yamcha had flown to the small tropical island for just “a visit,” but Krillin suspected something else.Maybe an angry ex was chasing him?Who knew. 

In any case, now he was taking a few laps around island, feeling the surf shrouding his calloused feet, away from Roshi and Yamahas raucous laughter. 

The soft tap of sand and some slight air currents alerted him to someone landing behind him. 

“Oh hey, 18.” 

“Hey yourself.”

Something seemed a little off about his girlfriend, but Krillin couldn’t quite put a finger on it. 

“How’re you feeling?”, he asked, turning around and stepping a little closer. 

“Fine,” she answered curtly.

She did look a little weird today. 

And then in one quick motion, she stepped forwards and leaned over, grabbing him by the front of his shirt, her lips inches from his.Krillin froze,his mind racing to understand what had brought this o-

“HEY!Who’s that?!” 

Another 18 flew down from the sky, smashing into the sand with a dramatic flare. 

Moment interrupted, the first 18 let go of Krillin’s shirt, and the two clones eyed each other cooly.

_Wait…_

Krillin searched for the ki of each “18.”He knew androids didn’t have energy, so… the first one had a slight if distinct signature. 

_A slight…_

He opened his mouth just as a window opened and Yamcha came diving out.

“PUAR?!” They both shouted in unison. 

Yamcha stalked over to the first 18, his lips compressed in anger or a tightly hidden laugh. 

“This isn’t funny unless I ask you to do it, Puar!” 

The second (actual) 18’s eyes narrowed. 

“You tried to touch my Krillin?”

“Wait!”

With immense speed, 18 dashed forwards, her fist outstretched.But Krillin was faster, and barely stopped her fist from colliding with Puar - or a porcupine hovering in the air. 

Yamcha stood frozen as Puar reverted to his normal form in a puff of mist.He really was completely outclassed by these two.

“Uh… ok, um, s-sorry about that I think we’re going to gonowsobye!”

Then he jumped off into the air with Puar on his back, and was gone.

“…”

“…”

Krillin rubbed the back of his head nervously, releasing 18’s wrist from his grasp. She gave him a glare powerful enough to kill one of the few cycads around the house. 

Sweat beaded on the ex-monk's forehead. 

With sparks in her eyes, she swiftly leaned down.

“Haha, well uh sorr-mmff!”

“No one gets to kiss my Krillin,” she said, adjusting her shirt and smirking at him. 

——

Later on that night…

Heavy footsteps resounded down the basement of the Kame House as Roshi and Oolong descended to the submarine.Now the plain pink house was mostly empty, except for one room.

“Your Krillin, huh?”

18 smiled against his chest, her hands sliding around his back. 

“I am a little possessive, huh?”Her lips brushed against his neck, the sound of the ocean soft in the background.

“Well then,” said Krillin as his hands slid under her shirt, “why don’t you take what Puar tried to steal?” 

A soft giggle escaped her lips as he kissed her once, twice, and then three times.

“Of course, my Krillin.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, the submarine is canon, go look it up haha. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I had a bad dream.” + insecurities

Darkness.

The darkness pressed itself against her eyes, that crushed her lungs and suffocated her, wrapping her in a gruesome haze.

She kicked, but hit nothing.

She screamed, but there was silence. 

She writhed against the oppressive darkness, the helplessness overwhelming her.

“Wake up!” cried a small voice.

But what if it was reality?What if she woke up and the dream was not a dream?

She torqued her limbs against the inky blackness, but her arms and legs felt lifeless and paralyzed.A sense of hopelessness pervaded her min-

“WAKE UP!” cried the same voice, but louder. 

18’s eyes snapped open, her chest heaving as her eyes found definition in Krillin’s face hovering inches from hers. 

“Are you alright, 18?” 

The noseless profile’s eyes searched her face for answers. 

“You haven’t had these nightmares in months.Are you-“

Throwing inhibition to the wind, the android sat up and pulled the monk closer to her as tears leaked from her eyes.

“I- I…”

She thought about Krillin not being here, her alone on some hard, windy plateau, all the warm fuzziness gone. 

“Shh, shh.It’s alright now, you’re awake.”

Why was 18 crying?She had no idea.Maybe just the emotions were overwhelming her.Usually she was stoic, her facial expressions almost always completely the same, but here in the warm bedroom, in the safety of Krillin’s arms, she let the tears burst out of her eyes, soaking into the fabric of her t-shirt. 

—-

She didn’t recall falling asleep, but when her eyes fluttered open the morning sun filtered in through the wispy drapes.To her side, the bed was empty. 

_Oh shit did I scare him -_

“Good morning, beautiful stranger,” said Krillin.“Are you feeling alright?” 

A smile tugged at her lips.“I’m fine,” she answered, her fingers absentmindedly stroking the blankets. 

The ex-monk nodded, handing her a mug of tea and sliding next to her.

“So last night with your nightmare…”

18’s early morning haze was immediately broken. 

“Ah, I’m sorr- I mean it won’t happen again, ok?” 

Evidently surprised, Krillin balked slightly. 

“… well, uh, you shouldn’t apologize for your nightmares, and also I was going to ask if you wanted to talk about it.” 

“….”

Usually, 18 avoided sharing anything about herself with anyone, especially her own fears.But… she felt so safe around her boyfriend…

\ \ \

The rain crashed over the city streets, the raindrops streaking the windows of an apartment

\ \ \

“I met this really nice guy before I came back to the Kame House.Tall, handsome with a soft floof of brown hair…”

\ \ \

For the first time in a while, 18 felt a smile tugging at her lips as she kissed her date.She usually went to bars to drink and just sit in one place without anyone disturbing her, but this man with his earnest behavior had somehow gotten through to her and even into her.

\ \ \

Krillin nodded, wondering where this story was going. 

“But after about a week,” continued 18, “I had one of these nightmares.”

\ \ \

She awoke in sweat-tangled sheets, her chest heaving, her surroundings slowly taking definition and chasing away the darkness of the dream. 

“Are you alright?” asked the man.His eyes glittered coldly in the moonlight, their softness replaced by a disappointed solidity. 

\ \ \

“I realized that these guys who hit on me weren’t looking for a soulmate, they were looking for a piece of eye candy to hang on their arm and show off to their friends.” 

A stray tear rolled down her eye, the memory of those emotions rolling over her as she leaned her head on Krillin’s shoulder. 

“Every time I woke up screaming, they would leave me sooner or later, claiming it wasn’tmy fault.But you loved me, with my scars and all.”

She could feel his arms wrapping around her.Why was she telling him so much? 

“That’s kind of why I’m so guarded in public - I’d prefer it if everyone had their idea of me as the cold pretty girl, not someone with a wrecked past.” 

They listened to the incoming surf and the sound of the ocean breeze in the cycad bushes for a moment. 

“Well,” started Krillin, his voice quiet against her face.“I love you too.” 

Despite herself, 18 giggled.“Dork.” 

He smiled, and turned slightly, pressing his lips against hers.

[ bonus ]

“Ready to go back now?”

18 nodded, checking a list on her phone. 

“Alright, let’s -“

“Hey byoootiful!”, drawled a tall man in an impeccable shirt and khakis. 

Krillin could almost see a wall go up on 18’s face, her blonde hair falling slightly over her face. 

“Hey, short-dick.” 

The stranger stiffened.“Wh-wh-“

But the android and the ex-monk were already gone. 

  * * 



“You didn’t need to say that, y’know.”

“I did.So what?He was probably another guy who-“

“- wants something pretty to hang on his arm.” 

18 smirked.“And you don’t?” 

Krillin smirked back.

“And if I kiss you right now, what are the chance’s we’ll land on an island?" 

"Why don't you try?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost done!


	6. 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know what Pocky is, you should look it up.

What was she going to do? Just _kiss_ him?

Well, that's what Bulma suggested. and ChiChi. But no, that would mess with her cool, aloof exterior. So of course, she had to do it the hard way.

~~~~~~~

"I'm home!" 

The door to the Kame House banged shut as Krillin placed two grocery bags on the table. Behind him, he could feel a slight displacement in air but no ki. 

"Morning, 18," he replied to the moving air, pulling a cardboard box out of one of the bags and handing it behind his back. "I got the Pocky you wanted." 

The android took the box and leaned across the kitchen table, deftly opening the snack box.“Master Roshi left to train on one of his islands just earlier.”

Nodding, Krillin slid another box into a cupboard, wondering how many mountains his master had destroyed by now.“I’ll just leave his tea here for now.” 

There was the sound of the rushing ocean and crinkling paper bags for a few moments. 

“Hey, Krillin, have you ever heard of the Pocky game?”

Krillin thought for a moment.It didn’t sound like a sparring game..

“No, I don’t think so.” 

“Let me show you how to play it then.Come on, it’s fun.”Picking up the box of Pocky, 18 walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, putting a little sway into her stride.

Krillin walked in and sat down next to her, looking at the TV.Perhaps this was a video game?He really didn’t know. 

“Alright, so first you face the the other person.Like this.”She shifted slightly to face him, and seeing his trepidation, held his shoulders and turned him to face her. 

Now her roommate was really confused.What kind of game was this?Dodge punches from short range?That did seem very 18-ish, but what would it have to do with chocola-

“Wfell?” 

His train of thought was derailed by 18’s voice.And for some inexplicable reason, she had a stick of Pocky held between her teeth.

“What?” 

Sighing, the android removed the pretzel stick from her mouth. 

“As I was saying, each player puts one end into their mouth, and the last person to take a bite wins.Do you want to play or not?” 

“Wh-wha well I mean wouldn’t we-“

“Yes or no?” 

Inhaling, the former monk considered his options.It was pretty obvious this game was intended to make both people kiss.What if she was testing him?But she wouldn’t do that, would she?Maybe she actually did want to kiss him.

“Yes.” 

Leaning forwards, Krillin captured the opposite end of the Pocky. 

_Snap._ A sizable chunk broke off in his mouth. 

The snack quivered slightly as 18 bit off of her side.Less than 10 seconds had passed, and already their lips were less than an inch apart. 

_Crack._ 18’s heartbeat quickened as they inched closer and closer.Losing her balance, she carefully placed her hands on her roommate’s shoulders and leaned closer. 

Krillin’s jaw motioned, breaking off almost all that remained of the chocolate.18 responded by leaning even closer, close enough for him to feel her exhalati-

_Knock! Knock! CRASH!!_

Both of their heads whipped around, the remaining pretzel fracturing from the sudden force and disintegrating into crumbs. 

“Yo, Krillin!”

A spiky-haired teenager walked in through where the door used to be. 

“Gohan!?Last time I said you could use the knocker!”

“Haha, sorry, I forgot.”The Saiyan smiled and leaned back, scratching the back of his head.He looked almost like Goku when he did that.“Do you wanna go train?I don’t have school today.” 

“Uh… yeah yeah, sure I can come train in a few minutes, I was in the middle of something.” 

It was getting really awkward in the living room sitting so close to 18.

“Alright!I’ll be outside waiting.” 

Picking up the remainder of the door, Gohan stacked up the broken wood and then stepped out onto the beach. 

Turning back to 18, Krillin asked if she wanted to play again. 

Nodding, 18 replied, “This time, let’s just skip the Pocky.” 

And leaning down, she did just kiss him. 


End file.
